Diagnostic accuracy of Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assays to detect anti-Leishmania antibodies in patients with American Tegumentary Leishmaniasis: a systematic review

American Tegumentary leishmaniasis (ATL) is an infectious disease caused by several species of Leishmania. Even though the direct detection of parasites has low sensitivity, it is still the gold standard for the laboratory diagnosis of ATL. Recent studies have shown promising results of Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assays (ELISAs) using recombinant antigens. The aim of this study is to compare the accuracy of ELISAs using novel antigens with the standard ELISA based on soluble antigens of Leishmania (SLA) to diagnose ATL. Studies that analyzed patients with ATL and studies that evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of ELISAs using novel antigens and SLA were included. The Fourteen studies from PubMed, Regional Portal of the Virtual Health Library (BVS), Brazilian Society of Dermatology, Virtual Health Library (IBECS), Literature in the Health Sciences in Latin America and the Caribbean (LILACS), Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (Medline), Elsevier Embase, Cochrane Library, The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) were included. The novel ELISA antigens showed a high sensitivity (93.8%-100%) and specificity (82.5-100%), a better diagnostic performance than SLA-based ELISAs (1-97.4% and 57.5-100%, respectively). Only 10 studies analyzed cross-reactions in serum samples from patients with Chagas disease, and only two studies reported a percentage of cross-reactivity. In this systematic review, the novel ELISA antigens showed better sensitivity and specificity with respect to SLA-based ELISAs. However, a meta-analysis should be performed to confirm this finding

Prevalence of comorbidities in patients and mortality cases affected by SARS-CoV2: a systematic review and meta-analysis

The new coronavirus, COVID-19 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 11, 2020. Risk factors associated with this disease are age, sex, and the presence of comorbidities, the most common being hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease. The aim of this meta-analysis was to calculate the prevalence and geographical distribution of comorbidities in all patients admitted to intensive care units (ICUs), and the mortality rate of COVID-19. We selected studies based upon epidemiological and clinical descriptions of the patients and mortality from the disease to determine the pooled prevalence of comorbidities in all patients and in mortality cases due to COVID-19. The pooled prevalence was estimated using the random effects model, and odds ratios were used to measure the probability of death for a patient with a comorbidity. The total prevalence of comorbidities in patients with COVID-19 was 42% (95% CI: 25-60), 61% (95% CI: 42-80) in those admitted to the ICU, and 77% (95% CI: 68-86) among death cases; males were the most affected. Hypertension was the most prevalent comorbidity in all three groups studied, accounting for 32%, 26%, and 35%, respectively. The odds ratio of death for a patient with a comorbidity compared to one with no comorbidity was 2.4 (P < 0.0001). The higher the prevalence of comorbidities the higher the odds that the COVID-19 patient will need intensive care or will die, especially if the pre-existing disease is hypertension, heart disease, or diabetes

Chronic heart diseases as the most prevalent comorbidities among deaths by COVID-19 in Brazil

Age, sex and presence of comorbidities are risk factors associated with COVID-19. Hypertension, diabetes and heart disease are the most common comorbidities in patients with COVID-19. The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of patients with comorbidities who died of COVID-19 in Brazil. Searches of data were carried out on the official pages of the 26 State health departments and the federal district. The random-effect method was used to calculate the prevalence of patients with comorbidities who died. From the beginning of the pandemic in Brazil until May 20, 2020, 276,703 cases of COVID-19 were notified in Brazil, 6.4% died, 58.6% of whom were male. The prevalence of comorbidities among deaths was 83% (95% CI: 79 - 87), with heart disease and diabetes being the most prevalent. To our knowledge, this study represents the first large analysis of cases of patients with confirmed COVID-19 in Brazil. There is a high prevalence of comorbidities (83%) among patients who died from COVID-19 in Brazil, with heart disease being the most prevalent. This is important considering the possible secondary effects produced by drugs such as hydroxychloroquine

Conceptual categorization of legal information

A informação e o acesso a ela agregam valor ao processo de desenvolvimento científico e tecnológico gerando conhecimentos que produzem mais informações e, consequentemente, mais conhecimento, estabelecendo-se um ciclo que proporciona uma interação entre os saberes. Organizar a informação e estabelecer procedimentos para a categorização conceitual, na elaboração de linguagens documentárias utilizadas para a sua representação, possibilitam ao usuário o acesso a respostas para solucionar questões pertinentes à sua pesquisa. Delimitamos a área do Direito como domínio a ser trabalhado com o objetivo de identificar princípios para a categorização conceitual da informação jurídica que contribuam para elaborar instrumentos de representação e controle terminológico, ou seja, elaborar linguagens documentárias mais eficientes para a indexação da sua produção documental e que preservem o contexto em que o termo jurídico é empregado. O referencial teórico utilizado para a definição do termo \"categorização\", o qual inclui autores como Aristóteles, Kant, Wittgenstein e Rosch, aliado à Teoria do Conceito de Dahlberg e à Teoria Comunicativa da Terminologia de Cabré, assim como a análise de linguagens documentárias utilizadas para a indexação no âmbito do Direito, permitiram a identificação de alguns princípios que devem ser considerados na elaboração desses instrumentos de representação e controle terminológico para a recuperação da informação. Verifica-se que a categorização conceitual pode ser considerada como pedra fundamental na estruturação de uma linguagem documentária, pois possibilita a relação entre os conceitos, representados por termos, dentro de um domínio específico do conhecimento, tornando mais eficaz a recuperação da informação.Information and access to it add value to the scientific and technological development process generating knowledge that produces more information and, therefore, more knowledge, establishing a cycle which provides an interaction between the different kinds of knowledge. Organizing information and establishing procedures for the conceptual categorization in the development of indexing languages used for such representation allows the user to access the answers for solving issues relevant to his or her search. The area of Law was delimited as the subject area to be worked purposing to identify principles for the conceptual categorization of legal information which will contribute to the elaboration of instruments of representation and terminology control, that means, to produce indexing languages that are more efficient for the indexing of document production and which preserve the context in which the legal term is employed. The theoretical framework used for the definition of the term \"categorization\", which includes authors such as Aristotle, Kant, Wittgenstein and Rosch, allied to the Theory of Concept by Dahlberg and to the Communicative Theory of Terminology by Cabré, as well as the analysis of indexing languages used for indexation in the scope of Law, allowed the identification of some principles which should be considered in the preparation of these instruments of representation and terminology control for the retrieval of information. It can be seen that the conceptual categorization can be considered a cornerstone in the structuring of an indexing language, since it enables the relation between the concepts represented by terms within a specific area of knowledge making the information retrieval more effective

Accuracy of Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assays (ELISAs) in Detecting Antibodies against Mycobacterium leprae in Leprosy Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

IgM against Mycobacterium leprae may be detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) based on phenolic glycolipid I (PGL-I) or natural disaccharide octyl bovine serum albumin (ND-O-BSA) as antigens, and the IgG response can be detected by an ELISA based on lipid droplet protein 1 (LID-1). The titers of antibodies against these antigens vary with operational classification. The aim of this study was to compare the accuracy of ELISAs involving PGL-I and ND-O-BSA with that involving LID-1. We included studies that analyze multibacillary and paucibacillary leprosy cases and evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of ELISAs based on LID-1 and/or PGL-I or ND-O-BSA as antigens to measure antibody titers against M. leprae. Studies were found via PubMed, the Virtual Health Library Regional Portal, Literatura Latino-Americana e do Caribe em Ciências da Saúde, Índice Bibliográfico Espanhol de Ciências de Saúde, the Brazilian Society of Dermatology, National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, Cochrane Library, Embase (the Elsevier database), and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature. The Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies served as a methodological validity tool. Quantitative data were extracted using the Standards for Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracy. Sensitivity, specificity, and a diagnostic odds ratio were calculated, and a hierarchical summary receiver-operating characteristic curve and forest plots were constructed. The protocol register code for this meta-analysis is PROSPERO 2017: CRD42017055983. Nineteen studies were included. ND-O-BSA showed better overall performance in terms of sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative likelihood ratios, and diagnostic odds ratio when compared with PGL-I and LID-1. The multibacillary group showed better performance on these parameters (than the paucibacillary group did), at 94%, 99%, 129, 0.05, and 2293, respectively. LID-1 did not provide any advantage regarding the overall estimate of sensitivity in comparison with PGL-I or ND-O-BSA

Leprosy patients quality of life: a scoping review*

Objetivo: Explorar as evidências científicas relativas à qualidade de vida de pacientes com hanseníase. Método: revisão de escopo segundo a metodologia do Instituto Joanna Briggs, com artigos indexados nas bases de dados PubMed, Cochrane, LILACS, Embase, CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science, PsyINFO, INFOLEP e Google Scholar, publicados na íntegra em português, inglês ou espanhol. Resultados: identificaram-se 74 estudos, sendo 71 de abordagem quantitativa e 3 com método misto. Houve predominância de estudos publicados no Brasil (58,1%), com população adulta (97,3%) e recrutada em centros de referência para tratamento de hanseníase (52,7%). Verificou-se maior utilização dos instrumentos WHOQOL-bref (50%) e SF-36 (18,9%) para avaliação da qualidade de vida. O estudo evidenciou que o maior comprometimento da qualidade de vida se relacionou ao atraso no diagnóstico da doença, às reações hansênicas, às incapacidades físicas, à dor neuropática e ao estigma. Conclusão: as pesquisas foram desenvolvidas em sua maioria em países endêmicos, com adultos e a partir de estudos observacionais, sendo que os piores escores obtidos se associaram ao comprometimento do domínio físico.Objetivo: Explotar las evidencias científicas con relación a la calidad de vida de pacientes con lepra. Método: revisión de alcance según la metodología del Instituto Joanna Briggs, con artículos indexados en las bases de datos PubMed, Cochrane, LILACS, Embase, CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science, PsyINFO, INFOLEP y Google Scholar, publicados integralmente en portugués, inglés o español. Resultados: se identificaron 74 estudios, entre los cuales 71 fueron de abordaje cualitativo y 3 con método mixto. Predominaron estudios publicados en Brasil (58,1%), con población adulta (97,3%) y convocada en centros de referencia para tratamiento de lepra (52,7%). Se verificó mayor utilización de los instrumentos WHOQOL-bref (50%) y SF-36 (18,9%) para evaluación de la calidad de vida. El estudio mostró que los factores que más afectaron la calidad de vida fueron el retraso en el diagnóstico de la enfermedad, las reacciones leprosas, las discapacidades físicas, el dolor neuropatico y el estigma. Consideraciones Finales: las investigaciones fueron desarrolladas en gran parte en países endémicos, con adultos y a partir de estudios de observación, por lo que los peores resultados obtenidos se asociaron a las complicaciones del dominio físico.Objective: To explore the scientific evidence regarding the leprosy patients quality of life. Method: Scoping review according to the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology, with articles indexed in PubMed, Cochrane, LILACS, Embase, CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science, PsyINFO, INFOLEP, and Google Scholar databases, published in full in Portuguese, English, or Spanish. Results: Seventy-four studies were identified, with 71 of quantitative approach and 3 with a mixed method. There was a predominance of studies published in Brazil (58.1%), with an adult population, (97.3%) and recruited in reference centers for the treatment of leprosy (52.7%). There was greater use of the WHOQOL-bref (50%) and SF-36 (18.9%) instruments to assess quality of life. The study showed that the greatest impairment in quality of life was related to the delay in the diagnosis of the disease, to leprosy reactions, physical disabilities, neuropathic pain, and stigma. Conclusion: Most studies were developed in endemic countries, with adults, and based on observational studies, and the worst scores obtained were associated with physical domain impairment